Political Realities Help Jenne Recoup Power Lost In Shuffle

The Red Chinese practice ``re-education`` -- a system of exiling recalcitrant leaders into the harsh tedium of peasant life, then restoring their privileges.

In a manner of speaking, Sen. Ken Jenne, D-Hollywood, has been ``re- educated.``

Jenne has quietly been restored to his longtime seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the panel that divvies up state dollars and thus wields tremendous power over most programs.

Jenne can now refer to ``the premature suggestions that I have no political life in Tallahassee.``

But why is he back? Even if the political knife wounds have healed between Jenne and Senate President John Vogt, why should Vogt mend fences with the man whose Senate presidential hopes he so successfully squashed more than year ago?

And why should Senate Appropriations Chairman Jim Scott, R-Fort Lauderdale, let rival Jenne serve -- even if it is under him?

Part of it has to do with the natural ebb and flow of legislative affairs (``I have enjoyed many years of prominence and some years in the cellar,`` as Jenne put it. ``Probably a lot of that is I have very definite opinions. I`ve not `played dead` on occasions.``)

Also part of the equation: the would-be Senate president after Vogt is Robert ``Bobby`` Crawford, D-Winter Haven, a former confidante of Jenne`s.

Crawford jumped to Vogt`s bipartisan camp late in 1986, refusing to go down with Jenne`s sinking ship. But apparently Crawford and Jenne have reconciled.

Jenne said this shows ``urban moderate Democrats are becoming a little more fashionable again.``

Jenne`s return from exile is also because of the fragility of Democrats like Crawford. Democrat Vogt won his presidency by hatching a deal with conservative Democrats and Republicans. Crawford, too, is relying on a bipartisan alliance, but he needs all the loyal Democrats he can get or the GOP will keep consolidating its power.

Consider, too, how the controversial sales tax on services died such an ignominious political death. Jenne and certain of his allies declined to support the tax, passed by Vogt & Co. But what if more ``urban moderates`` had been brought on board to tinker with this much-needed tax? Perhaps they know better than their conservative cohorts how to sell a tax increase? After all, in 1986 Jenne and Crawford worked together to trigger the sunset of sales tax exemptions.

Whatever might have been, Jenne is right when he says about that tax: ``Almost from the time when things started to get into serious trouble, most of the urban moderates had been segregated and not part of the process. I think people realize now that, if we`re trying to deliver a positive legislative package, that urban moderates are going to have to play a major role.``